Draft:Oghenedoro Tega

Oghenedoro Tega with pen name Fejiro Oliver (born 27 October 1986) is a Nigerian human rights/anti-corruption activist, citizen reporter, writer, speaker and pro-democracy campaigner, known for founding Secrets Reporters. He

is Nigeria's major advocate for transparency in government's spendings across all sectors and corporate institutions. He is known to wear face mask in public to hide his facial identity.

He has been described as the enfant terrible of Nigeria journalism by the former Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Delta State Council, Nobert Chiazor, who's now the Executive Assistant on media to the Delta State Governor.

Early Life & Education

Fejiro Oliver was born in Lagos State to a Delta political conscious family. He started his early education in Lagos State and thereafter went to Imo State University to read Theatre Arts, with a Master's degree in Communication and Linguistics from the University of Calabar.

Activism & Arrest

Fejiro who is the founder of Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT), is a Journalist and Activist who has been arrested and tried severally by the Nigerian politicians. He came into limelight in 2014 when he was arrested an action he termed as abduction by the government of Niger State at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, for allegedly demanding for a N40 million bribe to kill a story. He had earlier raised alarm on plans to frame him up by the Niger State Chief Press Secretary, Mr Israel Ebije for refusing to collect the sum of N5 million to kill the story while he was undergoing a course in TV college, Jos. He was then a staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). He was held in custody by the Niger State Command of the State Security Service for days in their cell and later dumped into Niger State Median Prison. While in Prison, the then Governor, Babangida Aliyu sent emissaries to meet him for out of court settlement with agreement that the documents with him exposing the rot in his Government, an offer he refused. His lawyer, Festus Keyamo would later advise him to agree some days later on technical ground. He was subsequently released. Festus Keyamo challenged the abduction by the SSS and defamation of Character in Federal High Court, Abuja on Fejiro Oliver's behalf. Two years later, the court found the SSS guilty, granted all the reliefs sought for and ordered that the sum of N500,000 be paid to Fejiro by the SSS. They are yet to pay the money despite not appealing the judgment till date. While working as a Newscaster, presenter and producer in NTA, he was elected as the Chairman of the Radio and Television Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU), Sapele Chapter, where he defended the rights of the workers.

He left NTA and founded Secret Reporters online newspaper, which he describes as guerilla journalism.

In 2017, Tega and a former staff of Sterling Bank Plc turned whistle-blower, Mr. Dennis Ukpabi were arrested by the Homicide Section of the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos after they exposed a fraud that took place in Sterling Bank Plc and arraigned on April 28, 2017 by the Nigeria Police Force on a five-count charges but were later granted bail.

On June 2, 2020, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Asaba, Delta State, detained Oliver allegedly at the instance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, following a story alleging a robbery incident in the Delta State Government House which was kept secret by the government. The arrest saw condemnation from a few international bodies questioning the state of press freedom in Nigeria.

Tega through NACAT where he serves as the Director of Investigation, has continued to advocate for transparency in governance and fighting against corrupt practices by politicians and public servants.